All the Pretty Horses
by Ski October
Summary: "When you wake, you shall have all the pretty little horses." Singing can chase away the bad dreams, according to the logic of a child.


**So, this will really only be familiar to those of you who have read Blue-Winter-Angel's Sky High series, featuring one incredible Jamie Stronghold. Also, the song used in this is performed by Becky Jean Williams, so be sure to play it while you read. BWA and I have been talking a lot about our stories - if you didn't know, we have a joint account on here, x-KarenxMarie-x, with a couple of collabs underway - and I had the idea of Jamie and Warren having a son. This does not, of course, reflect anything BWA will be featuring in her stories, but she likes the idea all the same. Hopefully, you guys will, too.**

**DISCLAIMER: I own the idea, and Alec. Jamie goes to BWA and the song belongs to an African-American woman from the 1800s. Sky High goes to Disney.**

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><p>"Mama?"<p>

Jamie shifted in her bed and opened her bleary eyes, blinking to clear away the dreamy haze of sleep. The room she shared with her husband - absent on the job - was pitch black and, from what she could tell, empty. She began to wonder if she had dreamed the timid voice, but then it came again.

"Mama? You 'wake?"

Blinking some more, and this time sitting up in her bed, Jamie reached over to her nightstand, fumbling around until her reading lamp clicked on. She squinted against the sudden burst of light and when her eyes adjusted she saw her little boy standing at the side of the bed, dark eyes wide and mildy frightened.

"Alec?" she mumbled. "What are you doing up so late?"

Little Alec shifted his feet nervously. "No sleep. Bad d'jeams."

Jamie's eyes softened and she pulled back the covers, crawling out of bed and onto the floor. She pulled Alec into her lap and he snuggled down, burying his face into her neck. She stroked his soft hair and murmured, "What kind of bad dreams?"

"Fire, and lotsa yelling. A mean man." he mumbled, his voice muffled by her throat. Jamie frowned.

"A mean man?"

"Uh-huh. He looked like Daddy, but I know it wa'n't Daddy. Daddy's nice."

"Daddy's very nice," Jamie agreed. "I promise there's no mean man in your room. Want me to check?"

Alec shook his head, brown hair falling into his eyes. "Can I sleep with you t'night?"

Jamie huffed a laugh. "Alright. Just tonight, though, okay?" Alec nodded happily and scrambled out of her lap. Laughing, Jamie rose to find her boy snuggled underneath their down blanket, his dark head poking out from underneath the white fabric. She chuckled and slid in next to him. He cuddled up to her and sighed contentedly. Jamie's heart swelled within her chest.

"Mama?" Alec's tiny voice floated up to her ears after only a couple of minutes.

"What, baby?" she murmured.

"Song?"

Jamie blinked. It had been awhile since she had sung Alec to sleep, longer still that he had specifically asked her to do so. She felt a slow smile creep across her face. "What song?"

"Horses," he mumbled, already starting to fall back asleep.

She should have known. That one had always been his favorite; Alec was in love with horses. She rolled onto her back, pulling Alec with her, his head settling on her belly.

_Hushabye, don't you cry_

_Go to sleep, my little baby_

_When you wake, you shall have_

_All the pretty little horses_

_Dapples and grays_

_Pintos and bays_

_All the pretty little horses_

_Way down yonder_

_In the meadow_

_Poor little baby cryin' Mama_

_Birds and the butterflies flutter 'round his eyes_

_Poor little baby cryin' Mama_

Alec had fallen asleep by then, his breathing soft and slow. No bad dreams to haunt him now. But Jamie finished the song for him anyway. Maybe he would hear the words in his sleep.

_Hushabye, don't you cry_

_Go to sleep, my little baby_

_When you wake, you shall have_

_All the pretty little horses_

_Dapples and grays_

_Pintos and bays_

_All the pretty little horses_

_Mm-mm-mm_

_Mm-mm-mm_

_Mm-mm-mm-mm-mmm_

Jamie lay in silence for a moment, looking down at her son. He was beautiful, and soft and small and innocent. He shouldn't have bad dreams. She hoped he dreamed of horses.

"Goodnight, Alec." She kissed her fingers and pressed them to his cheek, smoothed down his hair.

"I love you."

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><p><strong>So, how was it? Ye, nay? Review and share your thoughts. Also, the picture of the boy I based Alec on will be up on my profile shortly, if you guys want to see what he looks like.<strong>

**Until next time, my dear readers.**

**~Anna**


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